Vandals smash disability van

Toni Cheshire, 18, had her disability van broken into on Saturday, while in town with her carer Lyndsey Kennedy and her daughter Tyla, 13. Picture: Marie Caley D3040MC

Published:14:00Friday 28 October 2011

A SEVERELY disabled girl was left “distressed and “upset” after her lifeline disability van was damaged by thoughtless vandals.

Toni Cheshire, who has been physically and mentally disabled by a chromosome disorder since birth, was left stranded along with her carer Lyndsey Kennedy and her 13-year-old daughter Tyla, in the car park of Chappell Drive after a window of their Volkswagen Transporter was smashed and glass strewn over the seats.

The incident meant Mrs Kennedy, who drives the car, had to cancel an activity planned for the teenager the next day.

“She was so upset and distressed, I was absolutely gutted,” said the 39-year-old of Manor Road in Askern.

“How can anybody stoop so low and break into a vehicle which you can see is clearly for a disabled person?

“Toni needs that van, it’s her lifeline. She’s familiar with it and has a pushchair where she sits. She’s not comfortable in a regular car so when we had to call her parents to pick us up Toni was so upset.

“I can’t believe somebody would do something like this. There wasn’t even anything of any value in it. What started off as a nice trip to the Frenchgate Centre, turned into a nightmare.”

Mrs Kennedy said Toni’s parents, Keith and Nicola of Plantation Close, Askern, had to pay £75 insurance excess to repair the damage.

Police are investigating Saturday’s incident, which happened between 12.30pm and 3pm, at the council-run car park.

Peter Dale, Doncaster Council’s director for regeneration and environment, said the area had CCTV and was patrolled by wardens.

He said: “We encourage motorists to immediately report suspicious behaviour or any crime to the police.”

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